Combined ignition and lighting generator.



L. J. LE PONTOIS.

COMBINED IGNITION AND LIGHTING GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. 1915.

1,276,085. I I Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

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L. J. LE PONTOIS.

, COMBINED IGNITION AND LIGHTING GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28, I915. v

Patented HEET 2.

Aug.

E E T 8-8 I NN 5N @N Q N Wit "mo L. I. LE PONTOIS.

COMBINED IGNITION AND LIGHTING GENERATOR.

1,276,085. Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

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v Q Q1 m\ L. 1. LE PONTOI'S. COMBINED IGNITION AND LLGHTINGGENERAT OR. APPLICATION HLED JUNE 28,]9151 Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

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= into mechanical work, the resistance that f inn ED erm ne- PATENT car es."

more .1. Laroirrors, or Lmwoon, omo, as'sreu'oa, BY imam: mien-mums, to ma TEAGLE COHPW, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

COkBINED-IGNITION in immune ennmron Specification of Letters Intent. Patented Aug. 20, 1918.

Application filed June28, 1915. I Serial n01 30,072.

To all whom it may concernfl Be it known that I, LfioN LE PONTOIS, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Lakewood, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in and Relating to Combined Ignition and' Lighting Generators,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined generating unit for the generation both of direct low tension current and of hightension cur rent for use on motor vehicles having internal combustion motors, the high tension current being adapted for ignition purposes and the low tension current for lighting and the like. V

The general introduction in the motor vehicle chassis 'of-the direct current genera.- tor for such purposes as electric lighting, electric horn operation and for charging electric storage batteries has been responsible to a large extent for the return to so-called battery ignition for the internal combustionmotor through the intermediary of an induction coil. In some cases the primary circuit breaker and high tension current'distributer for the battery system have been incorporated in a unitary structurehe direct current dynamo, the brea e1 and distributer being. operated from the armature shaft at the Y r time for the ignition of the internal pro cornustion motor, and even the induction coll itself has been incorporated in thisunitarystructure. Thiscombination' results in a a saving'of space under the motor hood and weight, as compared with a svstemincluding a direct current generator and an independ: ent magneto of the permanent magnet type for ignition purposes. "ljhe battery system as known todaydoes not possess the heat value of igniting sparks, and essentially the i sustained heat value, which is""inherent'in the characteristic high tension spark gen-' erated by a direct high tension magneto of the permanent magnet type. border to obi cylinder of, an internal combustion engine,

so indispensable for the efliciehh-conirersion of the energy of, the combustion of the fuel the dielectric opposes to current flow between the spark terminals in a cylinder'must first be broken down by puncturing the dielectric by a high tension spark and the currentvalue at the instant of puncture maintained or m'creased during the period of time necessary to insure the ignition or as much of the combustiblematerial as is required to secure the most beneficial and efficient results. For this reason thedirect high tension magneto may be said to generate a spark havinga sustained current value during the period of time necessary for thorough ignition as contra-distinguished from; and preferable to;

battery ignition in whichcurrent in the secondary winding of an induction coil is in-" duced merely by the collapse of a magnetic field and wlthout ,the expenditure upon the magnetic circuit of the-mechanical energy required to give such sustained current value to the resulting ignition spark, However, the bulk presented'by the permanent magnets of a high tension magneto of the permanent magnet type and the expense of,

construction is generally such as to.render commercially impractical its combination with adirect current generator in a unitary,

structure, and theexpense of a separate directcurrent generator with its'dr'iving connectionsfto the motor and an independent high tension magneto with its driving connections to the motor, as compared with the generator and expense of a direct current the necessary mechanism for, connecting up and operating one of the well known forms of battery system, is such as to make in many installations theexpens'e of the former practically prohibitive. I

One of the ob]e cts of my invention has been'to providea combined generating unit for a systemof direct current generation and high tension current generation which may be encompassed in substantially the space occupied by the so -calledbattery systems of. todayor even in smaller space, and. in which undeslrabl'e characteristics of such I battery'systems will beavoided and desirable characteristics of the direct high ten-- sion magneto systems incorporated, and in which the-high tenslon sparks generated will ignition sparks have-sustained values as compared with the with substantially unsusa temperature that suddenly rises to a highvalue is maintained at this or a higher value for an appreciable time necessary to insureproper and efficient ignition and then drops relatively slowly to its initial state.

It has also been one of the objects of my invention materially to reduce the current consumption used for the generation of ignition sparks as compared with the current consumption of the so-called battery system.

As a matter of fact at the present time battery systems may be constructed and installed at considerably less expense than any of the well known magnetos of the permanent magnet type,- and a battery system is likely to start the motor at a lower engine speed than a high tension magneto system,

since with the latter the value of the spark is largely dependent upon speed of rotation,

while in the battery systems the spark value is highest atlow speeds of rotation of the crank shaft of the. engine. One of the ob jects of my invention has been to design a high tension ignition 'generator, the high tension current characteristics of which are such as to avoid the objections of low current values at -.low speed incident to high tension. magneto systems by providing a much higher flux density than can be obtained in a commercially practical manner by the use of permanent magnets for field excitation. It will be understood that the higher the speed necessary-t0 generate an igniting spark of sufficient value to properly start the motor, the more energy is consumed in the rotation of the crank shaft and where an electrical or mechanical starting device is employed forthis purpose,- the less energy required to rotate the crank shaft for starting purposes, the better. I have therefore inventedan apparatus and system in which ignition sparks of sustained value will be generated at low speeds So as to insure easy motor starting.

Another object of my invention has been to correlate and'coordinate the elementsof the generator so that they will be both efficient and durable in connection with the ignition of internal combustion motors run- I'nngat relatively high speeds and having a relatlvely largenumber of cylinders. .With

' the so-called high tension magneto of the permanent magnet type serious mechanical and. electrical difliculties have been encountered in its use with high speed multiplecylinder engines. With my invention it will be understood that the speed of rotation. of'the rotatable parts of myignition generator maybe materially reduced over thosejnecessary with the high tension magsystem I and apparatus, the construction,

' rotors.

netos of today in order to get eflicient and proper ignition for multiple cylinder motors at all speeds. Another object of my invention has been to produce a combined generating unit making, possible a system for generating and distributing sustained, high tension sparks, the total weight and production cost of which will be materially less than the total weight and cost of the same system when provided with an ignition generator of the self-contained high tension permanent magnet type. And in view of the fact that permanent magnets are not used and not required in my shaping, assembling and cost of necessary parts is minimized. Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the combined unit along the axis of the Fig. 2 represents an end view showing the breaker mechanism of the high tension spark generator, the breaker casing cover being removed. a

' Fig.3 is a section on the line3-3 of Fig. 1, showing onev of the collector rings and contact shoes of the'direct current generator. V

Fig. 4 is an end view of the high tension spark generator with end plate removed and the rotor shown in section.

.Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 55,' of Fig. 1.

'Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section showing the magnetic field structures of the 0 direct current generator and of the high ten- 'sion spark generator built as a unit.

ture in. theillustrated embodiment of my invention is made of three castings, 1', 1", and 1 suitably'joined and held together by bolts 3, and a group of iron laminae 1 positioned in the open end of the section 1 and held there by bolts. or screws 3'. Each ofthe sections 1, 1, has an annular, axially disposed polar projection 4, 5, respectively. These polar projections are alined and each is surrounded by an exciting Winding 6, '6, respectively. The rotor 2'includes a shaft 2 suitably mounted at one end in an antifriction bearin 7 ositioned in the adjacent section 1 of t e rame 1, and at its opposite end in' an anti-friction bearing]? ositioned in an end plate .8 secured by the lts or screws 3' to the section 1".

Secured to the shaft 2' is a structure of I .magnetizable iron, or steel," preferably of high magnetic permeability, having a section 2. provided near its-center with a group of annular laminae 2" having polar surfaces 5 2 disposed v.to rotate in close proximity to the polar surfaces 1 of the field structure.-

At eitherside of the section2 has a cylindrical extension 2', 2, each having polar surfaces 2*,2", respectively, -dis-.

osed to rotate in close proximity to the adacent polar surface 1, 1, of the annular polar projections 4, 5, respectively. the rotor is reduced in size to form a core for an exciting winding 10 and at 2 is shaped to receive a laminated flux distributing-section 11.

12 arecollector rings, a series of them with each ring of each series suitably insulated from the others, and from the rest of the rotor, is'disposed at either side of the section 2", as indicated. Each series .of collector rings with the necessary insulation may be held together in any suitable manner as by bolts or screws 12 screwed into the adjacent from the collector rings as indicated in the drawing, 13 being end plates mounted upon the section 2 for positioning the collector rings relativeithereto.

14 indicate electric conductors, preferably of copper, each extending through and being insulated from the laminated section 2". These conductors 14 are preferably arranged about the axis of the rotor in sets, each set conductor of each set being disposed about I the axis of the IfOtOR'lQO degrees from the other two conductors. ofisaid set and the,

to corresponding-collector rings 12 in each .ofthe series thereof :at 'eith'er side-of the vsaid section 2?. As in Fig. 1 the up; perlnost conductor 14jis'electrically connected at its opposite ends to the nearest collector rings 12 in each of the -series of-collector rings at; either side of the'section 2".

F shownconnected to'"a' pair: rinils, hieh-"is-disposedineari the' mid e o'fea series.= j'j 'For the purpose of co urrent enerated in the condu tors groups vjof collecting dev ces A v 60,

-2;" Each of these groups of'collecting 2 devices preferably consists o if. plurality" o v "oollectin barsand contact shoes, each group i a 4 being suitably insu1ated, fiom-the fieldstrum J16 ture fvr e amp I, ave h w @1 9" the rotorv side of section 2 and suitably insulated.

.the series of rings laminated section 2*. The other end of thls consistingof three conductors 14, each said The next trio of .conductors l will be con 3 nected to the' next pair of collector rings and I; so on about .the periphery of "thesection 2%;- lowermost conductor 1 illustrated ranged at diametrically opposite sides of the drawings each group of collecting devices to consist of a plurality of bars 15, preferably of copper, the innermost bar of each group being suitably insulated from the field structure to which it is separately secured by means of a binding plate 16 and a screw 17, which screw passes through said plate and each of the bars 15 of the group from which it is laminated and is screwed into the section 1* of the field structure. vAt its inturned endor ends, each of the bars 15 carries a pair of pivotally mounted contact shoes or brushes 19, preferably inade of copper.- 18 are insulating blocks by means of which each binding plate 16 is insulated from the field magnet structure.

19 are springs each secured its outer end to the adjacent insulating block 18 andhaving its inner free end bearing against the upper surface of the adjacent contact shoe 19 so as normally to press the latter into engagement-with the collector ring with which it is adapted to cooperate.

I The contact shoes 19 at the inturned end of the innermost bar 15 of the upper group engage with the adjacent innermost ring; of on the same-side of the bar is connected with the terminal socket 20 carried by the adjacent insulating block 18. The electrical circuit from the said ring in the left hand group is completed to the corresponding ring in the right hand group by a set of three conductors 14, connected as aforesaid, and from that point the circuit is extended orcontinued through the brushes 19 at the right hand side of the laminated section 2 on ldwer group through said bar to the brushes carried by it on the left hand side of said laminated section QZand which latter pair of brushes make contact with the second ring 12 in the left hand-series of collector rings,

which second said ring is connected by a to. the innermost bar 15 in the upper group.

This method of'connection is. followed out until finally the cir-' the innermost bar 15 of the in turn is engaged by brushes 19 on the adv jacent end of the next cuit throughthe machine reaches the .uppermost "bar 15.-'o'f the upper group,

sockct 21carr1edby the adjacent insulating metal has "two"p'airs of polar projections diametrically "opposed, one pair "being ndicatedb y 22, 22', and the'other by 23, 23', the 'formefihaving polar surfaces, 22

the'lattergpolar' surfaces 2,3,fallofthese polar surfaces be g arranged in the are of simi arit sra t ax s a the am which bar has electrical contactwith the terminal andv 2 asa center and being closely disposedto the polar surfaces 11 of the laminated 1n- 7 ductor rotor section 11..

.section 24' of relatively 24 are high tension generating windings or coils each comprising preferably an inner coarse wire and Outer section 24 of relatively fine wire.

Any suitable and well known type of circuit opening and closing mechanism may be employed for periodically closing and opening the circuits of each of the primary windings 24, 24', and likewise any well known type of distributer for distributing high tenelectrode 29 mav be carried at onaend of the at 33is pivoted to the breaker box 27.

breakerarm 32, which, intermediate its ends.

other end of the breaker arm carries a cam contact shoe 34. A spring 35 bearing at one end against'the breaker box arm 32 serves normally to press the movable electrode 29 into engagement with the sta tionary electrode 28.' 37 is a cam suitably, secured'to the adjacent end of the shaft 2 and adapted to co-act with the breaker shoe 34 periodically to permit the closing and.

effect the opening offthe electric circuit through. the electrodes 28 and 29. 38 is a applied by one skilled in shifting rod for angularly adjusting the breaker box to vary the instant of ignition for spark. advance and retard purposes in connection with the operation of a hydrocarbon motor. 39 is .One terminal of this condenseris electrically connected to the electrode 29 and the other terminal is grounded, as shown in -Fi 9.

' In, order to'avoida complication 0% lines I have not illustrated any of the well types. of distributer, which readily';may be tem embodying my nvention.

40 is a secondary cell or cells'or-storage battery. This is connected with the terminals 20. and'21 so as to receive direct current from the generator. 41 is'an automatic, electro-magnetically actuated cutout, of any well. known construction, arranged in the circuit betweenthe direct current generator and the storage battery. The-exciting winding 10 preferably'is, connected in parallel with the storage battery40 and the termiillustrated as a lamp load, a

The ,then opened between and at itsother end against a lug-36 on the breaker density tive force of this current tends to prevent a condenser suitably; carried b the magnetic frame structure.

known the art in'a sys whichit has I nals 20 and 21 of the direct current generator, a switch 42, as shown in Fig. 8, serving to permit the closing and opening of this circuit, as desired.

The field exciting coils 6, 6, may be electrically connected together in any suitable manner,

I have illustrated them as connected directly across the generator terminal as shown inthe diagram Fig. 8.

43 indicates an external working circuit,

switch 44 serving to cut it in or out as desired.

The operation of the combined generating unit in a system such as is contemplated will be readily understood. When it is desired to start the hydro-carbon motor with which the system may be connected, the circuit *from the battery 40 through the exciting winding 10 should be' closed. If a switch, such as the one indicated at 42, is employed, it should be actuated to close the circuit.

. Current will then flow from the battery 40 through the exciting coil 10 and set up the field which is the function of this particular coil. Then if the hydro-carbon .motor be actuated, the electric circuit through the primary windings 24 will be closed by the breaker 26 through the electrodes 28, 29, and these' electrodes. I prefer to effect this closing and opening when the-current generated in the primary I is. due to a decrease of the density of magnetic flux threading through'the coil, which according to Lenz. lawv isacurrent which has the tendency to oppose such decrease of and consequently the. magneto-mothe decrease influx threadin through the coil. When the flux distri uter l1 has reached acertain point in its cycle of rotation, the circuit ofseach coarse wire winding 24 is suddenly openedby theaction of the cam 37 movingthe breaker a $32 so .as to interrupt the circuit "between the breaker electrodes 28 and 29, whereupon'owin to the interruption of the currenta su den flux decrease takes place and a high tension voltage is set up across the terminals of each spark plug 50, then in the electric circuit of a secondary ignition-winding-24. This punc-" voltage reaches such a value that it ture'srthe dielectric between the terminals of the spark plug and causes a spark to jump 1 therebetweenm The. flux decrease through each winding24 continues, due to the increasing reluctance of the magn section 11 away .from the polar surfaces just traversed, to accomplish which mechanical energy must be su plied by the driving mechanism and accordingly the are formed between the terminals of the spark -plug-is sustained or maintained for a j suflicient period oftimeto insure proper and 199 etic" .circuit' through the coil produced. .by' the further movement of the flux distributing complete combustion of the gases within the engine cylinder.

Purely for the purposes of illustration, I have shown .in the drawings a system adapted to deliver two igniting sparks simultaneously within the same cylinder, using two coils, one breaker and a single condenser for this purpose, but it is to be understood that where but a single spark in the cylinder is desired at a given instant, one coil will sufiice and the other may be discarded. In using two coils as shown in the drawings, I prefer to connect them in a series, as illustrated in Fig. 9.

When the system is firststarted in operation, necessarily the voltage of the direct current generator, that is the voltage at the terminals 20 and 21, will be relatively low,

and the electromagnetic cutout 41' should be radiated so that it will not close the circuit between the direct'current generator and the battery 40 until the voltage of the generator is superior to or at least equal to the voltage of the battery. During the operation of the system should the direct current generator stop delivering the necessary voltage for any reason, the automatic relay 41 will open the circuit between the direct current generator and the battery 40, so that the battery 40 may continue the excitation of the coil 10 and thereby obviate a breakdown or discontinuance of proper operation of the ignition circuit.

It will be noted that the low tension direct current generator is of the homo-polar type. I have purposely selected it because it lends itself. readily to regulation of voltage at various speeds merely by proper field ex-. citation, avoiding at the same time brush sparking and armature re-action incident to certain other types of electric generators.

Each of the exciting windings 6, 6, sets up a field in parallel with the other, so that two magnetic fields in parallel flow from opposite directions through the mass of the rotor between said exciting windings, through the enlarged laminated section 2 of the rotor, thence to the center pole of the frame and back in opposite directions to the cores of the said coils 6, 6, respectively.

The exciting winding 10 may be held in position in any suitable manner, as by ears or lugs 10 suitably secured to the coil and detachably connected to the adjacent wall of the section 1 by screws 10, as shown in Fig. *1. This exciting winding 10 sets up a magnetic circuit through the adjacent part of the rotor as a core, the adjacent end of the section 1*, laminated'section 1, thence in either one of two paths between polar surfaces 22, 222 or 23 23, to the laminated flux distributer 11 and back to the core of the coil.

It further will be noted that the com bined low tension direct current generator and high tension current generator are combined in a single compact structure having elements in common cooperating to support parts of each generator-properly relative to other parts thereof, the frame and rotor in particular being common to each part of the apparatus and each having a distinct function in connection with each part. The current for exciting the winding 10 may be drawn from the low tension generator or from any suitable source of direct current supply.

It further will be noted that the magnetic field structure is built in three sections. The middle section, 1, as shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 6, substantially prismatic in shape outside, is cylindrical inside, and machined so as to form a cylindrical polar surface, at

its center and annular recesses, or sockets at each end, apertures 1 are formed in the upper and lower walls so as to permit the 10 is connected in parallel with the battery and the brushes of the direct current generator. When the generator voltage exceeds the battery voltage, the cutout 41 will close and the generator will excite the winding 10 and whatever surplus current is generated above that necessary to excite the winding 10 will be delivered to the storage battery 40. Should the circuit be for any reason interrupted so as to cut out the direct current generator, the battery will deliver the necessary current to the exciting winding for field excitation purposes. During the operation of the internal combustion motor, should the battery for any reason he disconnected, leaving in circuit the exciting winding and the direct current generator the latter will energize the exciting winding sufficiently for the purposes producing the necessary ignition sparks.

It further will be noted that upon the opening of the primary circuit, when the ignition generator is in operation. the induced electro-motive force in the secondary by the direct current generator over and distributer, the mechanical work necessary to cause this rotation being provided by the internal combustion motor.

It will be found that with a system embodyingjmy invention, such as illustrated and described herein, a relatively low value of exciting current is required for exciting the coil 10 requisitely to effectthe generation in the high tension circuit of the desired value of spark. In fact I have found the value of the exciting current required to bined unit, that is? the direct current generator and high tensionv current generator combined, is relatively compact and of' simple construction. But a single rotor is required for the purposes of effecting the generation both of the low tension direct and the high tension pulsating current. My. invention lends itself admirably .to use in such a combined unit. Furthermore, by its use a great saving of space, number of parts and weight is effected overexisting systems having the same high tension current wave forms.

To those skilled in theart of making mechanism of the class described, man alterations in construction and widely di fering embodiments and applications of my invention will suggest themselves, without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. My disclosures and the descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

The term direct current., or direct current generator, as used herein is to be un derstood as comprehensive of a unidirectional current or means for generating unidirectional current.

The claims which I make in the present application relate to the improved combined generating unit per 86, claims relating to the improved ignition system, and parts thereof, being presented in my copending application Serial" No. 36,673.

Also, the subject-matter disclosed in the present application, .both with respect to the generator per 86 and with respect to the system, has certain features in common with the subject-matter of my co-pending application Serial'No. 124,827. filed October 10, 1916, as a division of application Serial No.

common features are claimed in the said divisional application.

What I claim is: j 1. A single unit. combined direct current and high tension ignition current generator, comprising a unitary fieldstructure, sepa'rateexciting windings for the direct and ignition currents, respectively,'separate generating windings for the direct current and high tension ignition current, respectively, and a single rotor for expending mechanical energy in the fields interlinking with said generating windings for the production of electro-motive force therein.

2. In a single unit direct current and high tension'ignition current generator, the combination of a unitary field structure, exciting windings therefor, separate generating windings for direct current and high tension ignition current, respectively, a rotor mounted in said frame, common to all of said windings and adapted to expend mechanical energy in the fields interlinking with said generating windings for the production of electro-motive force therein, and a circuit breaker for said high tension winding actuated by said rotor.

3. In a single unit direct current and high tension ignition current generator, the combination of a unitary field structure, exciting windings therefor, separate generating windings for direct current and high tension ignition current, respectively, and a rotor common to all ofsaid windings,- mounted in said structure and serving to eX- pend mechanical energy in the field interlinking with said high tension generating winding'during the generation of a high tension current impulse.

4c. In a single unit direct current and high tension ignition current generator, the combination of a unitary field structure, exciting windings therefor, separate generating windings for direct current and high ten-' sion ignition current, respectively, and a rotor common to all of said windings and having at one end a flux distributing section for distributing the flux of the field first through and then outside of said high tension. generating winding.

5. In a single unit direct current and high. tension ignition current generator, .the combination of a unitary field structure, excitingwindings therefor, separate generating windings for direct current and high tension "596,117, filed December 7, 1910, and said ignition current, respectively. and a rotor con on to all of said windings and having at h r ibsajd'a flux distributing section for distributi g the flux of the field first through and then outside of said high tension gen- 2 bination of a un tary windings therein, separate generating winding windings ings thereinfor direct current and high tention ignition current, respectively, and a shaft rotatably mounted in said field structure and common to all ofs'aid windings and carrying iron sections, one ofwhich constitutesa part of. the magnetic path for the fluxwhich interlinks with said high tenslon generatingwinding and the other of which sections constitutes a part of the mag- "netic path for the flux interlinking .withsaid direct current generating winding.

8.- In a single unit direct c'urrentjand high tension 'ignitioncurrent'generator, the

. the flux which interlinks with said high tencombination of'a unitary field structure, excitm windings therein, separate generating win ings therein for, direct current. an

high tension ignition current, respectively, a shaft rotatably mounted in said field struc ture and common to all'of said windings and carrying iron sections, one of which constitutes a part of the magnetic pathforsion generating winding and the other 0 which sections constitutes a part of the-m netic path for the flux interlinking .-wit

said direct current (generating winding, andc1rcu1t opening an 01 said high' tenslon winding actuated: by: said k comprising a unita ing windings therein for direct.

shaft.

.9. A. single unitcombineddirect cu rrent and high tension ignition current generator,

field structure, separate generating win in rent and high tension ignition current, re spect ely, separate exciting windings for t e magnetic circuitsin inductive relation with said eneratin windings 'respectivel and a shai t 7 7 rotatab y mounted in said fie (1 structure and carrying iron sections, one of whlch sections s disposed to. constltute part:

of the magnetic path for the flux which interllnks w th said 'direct current winding and the other of which sections-is disposed to form a part of the magneticpath forthe flux which interlinks with said high tension ignition current generating'wind'ing." r

10. In a single unit'direct current and high tension ignition cnrrent generator, the combination 0 a unitary; field. structure, exciting windings therefor, separate generatcurrent and fie d structure, excitosing mechanlsm for for the directcu rr high tension ignition current, respectively, a shaft rotatably mounted insaid' field structure and common'to all of said windings and carrying iron sections which constitute parts of the magnetic circuits for the fields in'inductive re ation with said generating winds.

ings, respectively, and circuit opening and closing mechanism for said high tension generating winding actuated by said shaft.

11. In a single unit directcurrent and high tension ignition current generator, the combination of a unitary field structure, ex-

citing windings therein, a shaft rotatably including a low tension generating winding -carried by saidfsha ft near one end thereof, an unwound flux distributer carried 'bys'aid shaft near its other end, and a normally stationary'hightens'ion i crating winding dispose 'tion in the magnetic circuit flux distributer operates;

in inductive ,r'ela' 111 7 1 :s d

'hightension ignition current combination of a unitaryfiel shaft 'rotatably mounted in: said afield;- structurefan armature including "a low tension mounted in said field structure, an armature.

'tion currentg'e n 12. Ina single unit jdirect' current-and lsm the structure, a

generating'winding carried bysaid shaft near one end thereof, an unwound flux distributer carried by said shaft near its other end, a normally stationary high tension ignition currentgenerating windmg disposed in inductive relation in the magnetic circuit in which said flux distributer operates, and sep-' 1 'arate exciting windings in'said magnetic field {structure for establishing magnetic flux to sion and low tension generating windings. y In a'combined direct current and'high tension ignition current generator, the com- ;bin'atio'n of-a unitary. field structure, an armatureshaftfmounted' near-either end in said field structure, a-low tension armature 1 carried by said'armature shaft near: one end thereof, an'un wound flux distributer carried by said shaft near the other end thereof, an ignition generating winding disposed in-in' ductiverelation to the-magnetic circuit-of which said'unwound flux distributer conf stitutes the movable part, and separate field exciting'windmgs in said field structure for nterlink, respectively, with said. high tenestablishing magnetic flux to interlinl; with 7 said generat' windings, respectively. 14 In a coin direct current and .tension ignition current generator, the combination of a u-nitaryfield structure, an arstructure, a low-tension armaturecarr ed by thereof,- an unwound flux distributer carried by said shaft nearthe other end thereof, an

said armature shaft near one end mature shaftmounted near either end 'in ignitiongenera'ting winding disposed in in-.

to" th magnetic circuit of d\ 1'ctive relation which said unwound flux distributer constitutes the movable part, and separate field exciting windings in said field structure fpr establishing magnetic flux to interlink with said generating windings, respectively, said exciting winding for the high tension generating circuit being disposed concentric with the axis of said armature shaft.

15. In a combined direct current and high tension ignition current generator, the combination of a unitary field structure, an armature shaft mounted near eitherend in said field structure, a low tension armature carried by said armature shaft near one end thereof, an unwound flux distributer carried by said shaft near the other end thereof, an ignition generating winding dis posed in inductive relation to the magnetic circuit of which said unwound flux distributer constitutes the movable part, and separate field excitin windings in said field structure for esta lishing magnetic flux to' interlinkwith said generating windings, respectively, said exciting winding for the high tenslon generating circuit being disposed adjacent to said flux distributer and surrounding said shaft which carries it.

16. In a combined direct current and high tension ignition current generator, the combination of a unitary field stru e, an armature shaft mounted near owner end in said field structure, a low tension armature carried by said armature shaft near one end thereof, an unwound flux distributer carried by said shaft near the other endthereof, an

, ignition generating winding disposed in inductive relation to the magnetic circuit of which said unwound flux distributer"con'- stitutes the movable part, and separate field exciting windings in said field structure for establishing magnetic flux to interlink'with sa1d generating windings, respectively, said structure and having its polar faces cooperating with thepolar faces of said stator, an ignition current generating winding carried by said stator, and an exciting winding disposed in said field structure to establish therein magnetic flux whichinterlinks with sa1d generating winding, said stator, flux distri uter and I exciting winding being shaped and correlated so that in operation said flux distributer will alternately increase and decrease the flux linking through said winding and will maintain the path of least reluctance for the magnetic circuit always in the same electro-magnetic relation to said exciting winding, whereby the direction of the passage of the magnetic flux between said stator and flux distributer will always be the same.

18. An ignition system comprising a field structure having a stator, an unwound flux distributer rotatably mounted inrsaid field structure and having its polar faces coiiperating with the polar faces of said stator, an ignition current generating winding carried by said stator, said stator, flux distributer and generating winding being shaped and correlated so that in operation said fluxdistributer will alternately increase and decrease the flux linking through said winding and will maintain the path of least reluctance for the magnetic circuit always in the same electro-magnetic relation to said generating winding, and an exciting winding disposed adjacent to said flux distributer and concentric to the axis about which said 'fiux distributer rotates;

19. In a single unit direct current .and

high tension ignition current generator, the

combination of a unitaryfield structure, exciting windings therein, a shaft rotatably mounted in said field structure, an armature includinga low tension generating winding carried by said shaft near one'end thereof, a flux distributer carried by said shaft near its other end, and a normally stationary high tension ignition current generating winding 1 disposed in inductive relation in the magnetic circuit in which said flux distributor operates.

20. In a single unit combined low tension current and high tension ignition current generator, the combination of a unitary field structure, a low tension generating'winding, a separate high tension generating winding for the ignition current comprising a coarse section and a' fine section, electrical exciting means adapted in conjunction with said low tension generating winding to produce in saidfield. structure magnetic .fields inductively related to said low tension and high tension generating windings, means for periodically opening and closing: the circuitthrough the coarse section of said high tenand rotatable means inducsion winding, tively related to the said generating windings and adapted in operation to expend v mechanical energy in the fieldswhich interlink with the low and high tension ener- 'ating windings for the production 0 electromotive forces therein.

In testimony iii the presence of two witnesses.

LEON J. LE PONTOIS. Witnessess .EDWARD R. ALEXANDER,

GEO. B. Pn'rs.

whereof I affix mysignature 

